"This is a one-month safety-net for the people of Israel, not for Mr. Barak personally," Yishai told Israeli public television.

Shas, Israel's third-largest party, signed the agreement with Barak's Labor party Monday after parliament reconvened for its winter session.

Barak has been without a parliamentary majority since July, when Shas and other religious parties deserted him in protest of his reported concessions to the Palestinians ahead of the Camp David peace summit.

Barak has been in talks with the right-wing Likud party to form a national emergency government, but negotiations have faltered on hawkish Likud leader Ariel Sharon's insistence on veto power over decisions on the peace process – JERUSALEM (AFP)